


Christmas on the Ridge

by writtenthroughtime



Category: Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-08 20:38:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5512394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writtenthroughtime/pseuds/writtenthroughtime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from my blog: Fluffy prompt! two words: "Christmas Presents" can be canon divergence from the show - and set at Leoch around ep 9/10, or set in Lallybroch. or during DIA/season2 or at the Ridge so that Brianna and Roger and the kids are there too. whatever you prefer :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas on the Ridge

     Jem sat staring up at the fresh evergreen in his grandparents great room, his Grannie had tied bits of string, baubles, and berries around the tree attempting to make it resemble that of the twentieth century Christmas traditions. He missed the twinkling lights and silver tinsel that had been draped on the tree back at Lallybroch in the 1980s, but he would rather be here. Mandy was dancing about the room singing Jingle Bells at the top of her lungs—it's a good thing she inherited our Da’s talent— he thought to himself.  
     He had heard stories from his Mam and Da, how his Da had the perfect singing voice before the accident when he was a wee bairn. Jem’s own musical talent was not one to brag about, his Grannie liked to joke that he was a mini-me of his Grandda, red-handed and tone deaf.  
    “What are ye thinking about, Jemmy?”  
     “I wish we had the twinkling colored lights from home on this tree.”  
     His father squatted down to his level, “Aye, I miss electric lights too, but yer Grannie did a bonnie job on this tree.” Jem nodded his head, missing more than just the electric lights of the future; cars, running water, hot water, television… Although he missed that life, he never truly felt like he belonged. He had missed the clean air of the mountains and the adventures his Uncle Ian and cousin Germaine had taken him on. Being back in the past, Jem felt comfortable.  
     “Da?” Jem asked looking up at his father.  
     “What is it, mo chridhe?”  
     “How do we stop Mandy from singing Jingle Bells again?” His father barked out a laugh, “Son, when I can figure out how to stop yer sister from doing something she sets her mind to, I’ll let ye know.”  
     Mandy had transitioned from traditional jingle bells lyrics to the ones Jem recognized his classmates had sang before, “Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg!”  
     Roger shook his head in disbelief but the ever constant smile never faded.  
     “What’s going on in here?” Jem heard his Grannie laugh as she walked over to Mandy, Adso close at her heels.  
    “Grannie! ADSO!” Mandy ceased singing to pick up the old grey cat and hug him to her. A faint mewl came from his as she bounced around the room starting up another chorus of Batman smells, cat dangling from her arms.  
     Jem saw his Grannie smile then started following after Mandy in hopes of freeing the struggling feline. “Mandy, sweetheart, let’s let Adso go.”  
     “But why Grannie? He loves me! Besides we are singing Christmas carols, Adso is my helper!”  
     “Alright, how about Adso be your helper from the floor? He looks like you are squishing him.”  
     Mandy looked down at the cat whose front paws were sticking straight up in the air, fur ruffled around his neck like a scarf, eyes bugging with a silent meow in his open mouth. Sighing Mandy readjusted her grip on the reluctant helper and scolded, “Ok, Adso, I’m going to put you down, but ye canna leave! Ye are my helper and ye are to stay with me.”  
     The moment Adso hit the floor he was out of the room in a grey streak, a yell and a clatter of pottery came from the doorway where their Grandda was emerging.  
     “Ifrinn! Cat dúr!”  
     “Ooooo Grandda! Ye said a bad word!”  
     “Sorry, a leannan.” Mandy’s arms crossed over her chest and she leveled a look that was completely her Grannie’s at her Grandda. “Ye no say it again.”  
     Laughing out an agreement to Mandy, Jamie walked over and kissed Claire on the temple.  
     “Where is Bree, mo nighean donn? Wasna this whole thing her idea?” He said waving at the presents and tree crowding the room.  
    “This wasn’t only her idea, I had a hand in it as well. She is upstairs getting something.”  
     Seeing the look on his face she laughed, “Oh don’t give me that look, I know you may not understand it but you do love the smell of the pine in the house.”  
     “Aye, but I still dinna understand why it needs to be in the house.”  
     Jem piped in, “It’s tradition Grandda! We have to have a Christmas tree on Christmas.”  
     “Ach, is that so? Well this is my first Christmas with one, and I’m sure the Christmases I’ve had o’er the years happened.” A twinkle in his eye showed he was only joking but Jem took it seriously. “Oh but Grandda, ye havena had a real Christmas then.”  
     “Ye’ve never had a Christmas tree, Grandda?” Mandy’s eyes were wide and her little mouth dropped open in shock. “Ye have to have a Christmas tree! Da tell him!”  
     Roger laughed at the enthusiasm of his children. “Aye, ye need a Christmas tree on Christmas and—“  
     “Presents!” Brianna finished walking into the room, arms full of brown paper wrapped packages.  
     “Weel, why dinna you show me a real Christmas then, mo chridhe?”  
     Jem smiled and plucked the packages out of his mother’s arms looking for one that said “Grandda” or “Jamie,” finding what he looked for he quickly bounded over to his Grandda. “Here. Open this.”  
     “Aye, I can do that. That’s all I have to do to have a real Christmas? Open this package?”  
     Laughing Jem handed him the gift, “No, ye open it, then ye hand someone else a gift and we all open presents together! A real Christmas, opening gifts and spending time together by the Christmas tree. Although this one isn’t as pretty as our twinkling lights one back at Lallybroch in the future.”   
     His Grandda smiled, kissed his forehead and ruffled up his hair. “Aye, well I’ll have a real Christmas with ye here.”


End file.
